[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 145 (1999), Part 9]
[House]
[Page 12128]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



                SUPPORT IMPROVEMENT IN NATION'S SCHOOLS

  (Mrs. JONES of Ohio asked and was given permission to address the 
House for 1 minute and to revise and extend her remarks.)
  Mrs. JONES of Ohio. Madam Speaker, we can no longer ignore the 
disparities in our school systems and allow young people to suffer in 
crammed, outdated public school buildings.
  Daily, Americans are forced to send their children to schools with 
leaky roofs and unsafe ventilation. With the classroom enrollment rate 
growing, children must endure overcrowding and dangerous conditions.
  It is vital that we bring education to the forefront of our 
deliberations. We will not be able to meet the Nation's educational 
needs with temporary remedies. We must make this a nonpartisan issue 
and create permanent solutions. By joining with other Members of 
Congress and supporting school construction and modernization, we 
secure the welfare of our children.

                              {time}  1015

  It is imperative for the survival of this great Nation to prepare 
students to enter the global market and enable them to become 
productive members of the community. Reduced classroom size, qualified 
teachers, and new technology provide the opportunities students need to 
succeed.
  Our future depends upon the schooling of the children who sit in 
American classrooms today. As a Member of the 106th Congress, I am 
duty-bound to protect the interests of the American people. The steps 
and directions we choose to take today will decide the future of our 
Nation. To meet the impending demands of the 21st century, we must do 
everything in our collective power now to ensure the education of our 
children.

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